How do levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy? Some considerations

Abstract

Controversial opinions exist about the possible mechanisms throughout emergency contraception prevents pregnancy. Recently, the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception released a Joint Statement declaring that ‘inhibition or delay of ovulation should be their primary and possibly only mechanism of action’. They still added that ‘Review of the evidence suggests that LNG-ECPs cannot prevent implantation’. Concerning levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills effects on ovulation, the Statement based on seven reference papers which considered a total of only 142 patients, divided into still different subgroups. Basing on their same references we got quite different conclusions.

Keywords:

• Emergency contraception
• mechanism of action
• ovulation
• implantation

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.